Commentary A thought experiment: Suppose Vladimir Putin said tomorrow that any country sending aid in the form of lethal weapons—weapons certain to be used to kill Russian soldiers—to Ukraine would be retaliated against with a 10 megaton nuclear bomb detonated over its capital city. What would a Western leader contemplating sending such aid do, or say, in response? The answer is not obvious. I think such a leader would not do what Western leaders have been doing so far, which is murdering Putin with their mouths and promising that he and his army will “pay a price,” presumably in blood, for his aggression. Joe Biden might continue to say such things, but his handlers, like other responsible leaders, would surely think twice before continuing with their threats and promises. But then what would they do? Perhaps you have heard the expression “losing face.” No one wants to lose face, but …